Paris Johnson, Julian Fleming add more honors for Ohio State commits

Stay in touch or be left out because Ohio State recruiting is a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week obsession. What’s the latest news as the Buckeyes build for the future? Get that and more Sunday through Thursday on Lettermen Row. On Monday we’re talking about another wave of All-Americans for Ohio State and introduce a 2021 running back hoping to hear more from the Buckeyes.

Three Ohio State commits named offensive All-Americans

Last week, MaxPreps.com released their 2019 All-Americans list, and it was chock full of Ohio State commitments and targets from all over the country. That list, exclusively comprised of 2020 signees, matches up pretty closely with Monday’s release from USA Today and that publication’s list of All-Americans for this fall.

Three Ohio State commitments earned first-team All-American honors: Offensive linemen Paris Johnson and Luke Wypler along with wide receiver Julian Fleming.

“I don’t really think it adds any pressure to my season,” Fleming told Lettermen Row. “I mean, it’s an honor being recognized, for real. I’m just trying to continue to better myself for the upcoming season and be the best I can.”

Joining that trio of Buckeyes verbal commitments on the first-team is a handful of top targets for Ryan Day and his coaching staff — including wide rising-junior wide receiver Marvin Harrison and 4-star 2021 offensive lineman Landon Tengwall. Harrison and Tengwall are a pair of potential 5-star talents being recruited hard by Ohio State for their commitments.

Buckeyes impress 2021 running back from Washington D.C.

At one time Ohio State was in a very good spot for three standout prospects from St. John’s College (Washington D.C.) in the 2020 class. And though things didn’t go in their direction for Rakim Jarrett, Mekhail Sherman or Tre Williams, the Buckeyes are still working the powerhouse high school aggressively.

Last weekend, a pair of rising juniors hoping to make an impact this season for the Cadets made their first visits to Ohio State. One of those players was running back Colby McDonald, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound, 3-star prospect with a handful of early scholarship offers.

“I really liked it,” McDonald told Lettermen Row. “I had a very good time there. It definitely matched up to my expectations. I really liked the facility, and I also liked the media group and their life after football program and all the opportunities that come with it.”

McDonald has offers from Boston College, Maryland, Tennessee and Kansas. He spent a good portion of his one-day visit alongside Buckeyes running backs coach Tony Alford.

“I had a pretty long talk with Coach Alford,” McDonald said. “He told me he watched my tape and he really liked me. He is going to be recruiting me throughout the season and [said] that he was going to keep in touch with me.”

The push to December for Ohio State should be relatively simple

We are in an NCAA-mandated recruiting quiet period right now as college football and high school programs alike are focused on getting into shape and getting themselves ready for the season.

This quiet period comes pretty much on the heels of the June/July dead period and means that once again we’re in a pretty relaxed period for recruiting. But the truth is that with 22 commitments, Ohio State would be pretty calm no matter what, at least when it comes to the 2020 class.

There are only four months to the December signing period, and as of today, the focus for the Ohio State is very specific. There are basically three positions still needing to be recruited in the Class of 2020 — a to-do list that includes the running backs, defensive line and one more cornerback if the right one becomes available.

That’s it. Yes, there’s going to be some discussions still when it comes to the quarterback position. But the focus from here to December is simple: Find the best running backs and the best defensive linemen possible while hoping to flip a top-tier cornerback to complement Lejond Cavazos and Clark Phillips.

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